On Wednesday, March 12, 2025, Scott Anthony filed a petition in the Supreme Court of Ohio seeking a writ of mandamus and prohibition against Judge John Ridge of the Crawford County Municipal Court. The case, numbered 2025-0357, alleges that Judge Ridge has engaged in systematic judicial misconduct and that the charges against Anthony lack proper legal basis.
Anthony, a resident of Macomb, Michigan, is currently facing multiple charges in the Crawford County Municipal Court, specifically in cases numbered 24CRB373, 24CRB374, and 24CRB734. In his petition, Anthony contends that the criminal charges were not served correctly and that he was subjected to an unlawful arrest following a juvenile court hearing on November 26, 2024. He claims that the evidence presented against him is unauthenticated and includes dubious assertions such as an email stating “presumably it is Scott Anthony.”
The petition outlines several grievances against Judge Ridge and the court’s procedures. Anthony argues that he has been a victim of malicious prosecution, stating that the charges were pursued without probable cause and motivated by retaliation. He also claims that his due process rights were violated due to improper service before his arrest and the reliance on unauthenticated evidence in the case against him.
Additionally, the petition highlights issues with Anthony’s legal representation. His appointed attorney, Benjamin Thompson, is accused of failing to provide competent legal counsel, including imposing a competency evaluation without Anthony’s consent. Furthermore, Anthony asserts that his pro se motions challenging the competency order were rejected by the Clerk of Courts, further violating his right to due process.
In his request for relief, Anthony is asking the Ohio Supreme Court to issue a writ of mandamus that would compel Judge Ridge and the Crawford County Municipal Court to dismiss all charges against him. He also seeks a writ of prohibition to prevent the court from exercising jurisdiction over his criminal proceedings until proper legal procedures are followed.
The legal arguments presented in Anthony’s petition reference several precedents, including cases related to probable cause, due process rights, and the standards for effective legal representation. The petition cites landmark rulings such as Rogers v. Barbera and Brady v. Maryland to support its claims regarding the necessity of proper legal process and the obligation of the state to disclose exculpatory evidence.
A copy of the original filing can be found here.
